I'm new to the lore even though I've played TES since Morrowind, I'm just now trying to learn about it. I've always played as a Dunmer and I've been reading up on it. Like them more and more. However I'm confused after reading from this http://www.imperial-library.info/content/morrowind-anticipations. My understanding from reading this is that some of the Deadra swore fealty to the Tribunal, which used to be mortal if I read correctly. Why would the Deadra, who were gods, swear fealty to those who used to be mortal and only became gods after breaking an oath? Weren't the Deadra stronger than the tribunal? In another link it said that Azura turned the Dunmers skin ashen and their eyes red including those in the tribunal so why would she recognize the tribunal as gods and then swear fealty to them especially when the dunmer were worshipping her mainly?
Also, in that link it says that so and so god was this tribunal members "Anticipation". What is an anticipation?

In the text you linked it says the Tribunal was stronger than the Daedra. This is referring to them In Tamriel. The Daedric Princes powers are diminished there, just like the Tribunals power would be in an Oblivion realm.



They swore 'fealty' to keep some of their followers from abandoning them wholly. Better to be worshipped a little than not at all.

I'm sure someone will give you a much better explanation.

Ah, thank you very much. That does make since.

Basically, before the Dunmer were Dunmer, they were called Chimer (in the same way that Before Americans were American, we were colonists). The Chimer worshiped three Daedra, and in return these three Daedra helped the Chimer out. Once the Tribunal became gods, they started making up a bunch of lies (/ Obi-Wan Kenobi truths). One of the stories they came up with, was that the three "good" Daedra were "Anticipations" of the Tribunal, essentially warm-up deities. So, for example, Azura was the "Anticipation" of Almalexia. That means that Almalexia should be worshiped in the same way Azura was worshiped, but now that Almalexia is around, you should stop worshiping Azura. Azura, of course, was pissed about losing all her followers, and so she cursed all those who had abandoned her faith.

The Anticipations were a way for the Tribunal to legitimize their ascension, a sort of syncretism between their new divinity and their people's ancient religion.
Not that this wasn't necessarily a LIE or mere politicking, and can be seen as an actual mythic inheritance of their role and "themes" from the concepts that they Chimer had previously worshiped.